


Sweet treats?

by hkandi



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Bakery and Coffee Shop, F/M, Flirting, Gen, Hatake Kakashi Has Issues, Hatake Kakashi Is Trying, Hatake Kakashi is Bad at Feelings, Ice Cream, If you were ice cream what would you taste like?, Iruka's summer, KakaIru Fest Summer 2020, M/M, New flavors what what, Ramen yo, Sasuke knows what's what, Shop au prompt, Summer, sweets, yum yum - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:21:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25233070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hkandi/pseuds/hkandi
Summary: Iruka takes on a summer job at a bakery while the academy is out, and the Rookie 9, but especially Team 7, become frequent customers.
Relationships: Aburame Shino & Hyuuga Hinata & Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino & Hyuuga Hinata & Inuzuka Kiba & Yuuhi Kurenai, Akimichi Chouji & Nara Shikamaru & Yamanaka Ino, Dai-hachi-han | Team 8 & Yuuhi Kurenai, Dai-nana-han | Team 7 & Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura & Hatake Kakashi & Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka, Sarutobi Asuma & Dai-jippan | Team 10, Sarutobi Asuma/Yuuhi Kurenai
Comments: 12
Kudos: 141
Collections: Nine Weeks of Summer 2020





	Sweet treats?

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Kakairu Summer Fest, shop au prompt!

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

Granted, Kakashi hadn't had his genin team for long, but he was still surprised when he they began to eat breakfast, or at least a mid-morning snack (pending his lateness) together.

There was always an option for him, but he would decline, politely stating he did not enjoy sweets.

Finally, after the fourth day, his curiosity got the better of him.

"Why are you all eating sweets in the morning?" he asked.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto answered, as if that explained everything, and continued with practicing his aim on a wooden target.

Kakashi nodded, because he had no other response.

He didn't know much of their former academy teacher, so perhaps this was a perfectly normal thing. Maybe the man baked, and decided to keep his genin stocked on sugary treats?

Maybe it was a dig at him, their current teacher? 

Either way, Kakashi thought he would just roll with it.

Still, he was surprised when, after two days off from training, Naruto passed him a plain looking bready item.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at it, and Naruto shrugged.

"I told Iruka-sensei you don't like sweets, so he gave me this," Naruto said.

Again, as if that made perfect sense.

Kakashi nodded and directed them towards trees to work on their chakra, studying them as they worked.

While none of his genin appeared to be excelling at climbing trees, none seemed affected by their choice in food for the morning.

Even Sasuke appeared to be enjoying the new treats.

Kakashi slipped some of his snack under his mask discretely and had to admit, it tasted good.

But he had a nagging sense of...something. 

Perhaps it was a test, a passive aggressive attack at him.

Had he ever wronged this Iruka-sensei? He didn't think so.

Right?

Probably?

_____

The next day, Kakashi declined the item Naruto gave him, stating he didn't eat much in the mornings. His paranoia was becoming too much over these baked items, always brought by Naruto from Iruka, always in a plain white paper bag.

Iruka, it seemed, was unfazed, as the next day Naruto passed Kakashi a to-go cup.

"Coffee," Naruto explained. "Since you don't eat much in the mornings."

They continued towards their destination for the day, and Kakashi sipped his drink when the genin turned their attention to something else.

It was, he had to admit, a good cup of coffee.

But the question remained, why?

____

Kakashi was known for many things. His Sharingan. Copying justus. Being a genius. A young master of tons of things. His good looks. His hair. Only showing a small part of his face.

The list could go on and on.

Most people, however, did not know about his burning curiosity for the small things, and that it could keep him up at night.

After losing more sleep than he cared to admit over this whole food business, Kakashi finally caved.

"Naruto, just what is Iruka-sensei doing that he sends you with food and coffee in the mornings? I hope you're not guilting him into anything," Kakashi cautioned.

The genin exchanged a look and burst out laughing.

Even Sasuke was laughing at him!

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura said. "Don't be ridiculous!"

"Yeah," Naruto said. "It's nothing like that. Though, I think this is the last week we'll get things in the morning," he said, and it seemed to Kakashi the other two were not surprised.

"Oh?" Kakashi asked, trying to appear bored and not at all like this was of great interest to him.

"Yeah, his hours are changing," Naruto said. "But it means more access to his specialty!"

"Maybe we can visit him and see what he's up to today?" Sakura suggested, and the others agreed. Or, rather, they talked Sasuke into it.

Which was how, after Kakashi dismissed them for the day, they invited him to go see Iruka with them.

Following along, with his hands in his pockets, he strolled behind them out of the training ground, through the village, and to, of all places, a bakery.

The genin walked in without hesitation, and Kakashi followed, looking around curiously.

It was a fairly regular looking place. Quaint decorations, a few tables for customers, a counter running the length of the front windows, with stools underneath.

Pictures lined the walls of the staff, for a few generations it seemed, and customers, both civilan and shinobi alike.

Judging by the looks of the pictures, it appeared this bakery had been here for quite some time, though obviously it had changed with the events of the village, including being rebuilt a few times.

Kakashi wondered if he had been in here before, perhaps when he was younger...

He was drawn out of his thoughts by his team talking excitedly.

"Really?" Sakura was asking, excitedly.

Kakashi looked over and was surprised to see his genin talking to none other than Iruka.

"Yep!" Iruka replied, leaning over the counter. "I'm starting slowly this week, but soon it will be my full job!"

"What will be?" Kakashi asked, coming closer.

Iruka looked up and smiled. "Hello, Kakashi-sensei! I'm the main ice cream guru here soon!" Iruka smiled again.

Kakashi stared at him with the same bland look as always, and Iruka blushed under the weight of the man's gaze.

"You," Kakashi began. "You work here now? Making ice cream?"

Naruto laughed. "Believe it!"

Kakashi looked Iruka over, not hiding he was doing so. The younger man was wearing his uniform, minus the flak vest or forehead protector, and had a black apron with the bakery's logo emblazoned on it in red.

"You make ice cream now...but you still wear a shinobi's uniform?"

Iruka laughed but blushed again, and ran his hands through his ponytail. "Ah, well, the academy is out for the summer, so while I'm still working at the missions desk, and taking the odd mission here and there, I'm unexpectedly working here too! And since I'm splitting most days between the two jobs, it's easier to wear my uniform here rather than change before my missions desk shifts."

The genin again appeared completely nonplussed by this and instead moved to see the ice cream containers in the case.

Iruka and Kakashi looked at each other.

"This is a civilian bakery..." Kakashi began, unclear of what, if anything, he should say.

"Well, yes, but shinobi have to eat too!" Iruka nervously said. "It's the semi-civilian family of some of my former students, though by now through the generations it may be a 50-50 split or more. But, they lost some summer help and I happened to get wind of it, and offered my time and services."

"...And...you've done...this...before?" Kakashi asked.

Iruka laughed again. "Ah, here and there, when I was younger. Making ice cream hasn't changed, so that was easy to catch up on." Iruka leaned closer and dropped his voice. "I think they're more interested in my being able to handle lots of people asking for things at the same time, especially kids," he said, with a wink.

Kakashi was speechless, possibly by the wink more than anything.

Was this the same Umino Iruka who terrorized him at the missions desk for bad/late/dirty/unreadable reports?

Kakashi didn't say anything for a moment, trying to figure out who he was talking to.

Had the man been replaced? Was someone trying to infiltrate Konoha...through a bakery?

"So you sent Naruto with the food?" he lamely asked.

"I did," Iruka replied. "Just while I'm on the morning shift, but soon that's ending, so you'll all have to do with ice cream instead. Probably better for your training, eh?" Iruka looked at Kakashi again. "I should apologize, though, I guess. I didn't know you didn't like sweets, and then I didn't know you didn't really eat in the mornings. So I thought coffee was a safe bet?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Coffee is always good."

"Good!" Iruka said. "Let me get you a cup, on the house, before I help the kids, they've been eyeing the ice cream for a bit now."

Within a few minutes, Kakashi was sat with his genin, them eating ice cream, him sipping a pretty decent cup of coffee.

"Did you make all those flavors?" Sakura asked Iruka, once he had helped a few more customers.

"Well, I made them, but I didn't come up with them," Iruka replied. "Soon I will though. I'm thinking of making flavors for each of the rookie teams I passed."

"Like ours?" Naruto asked, and he and Sakura cheered when Iruka confirmed it. 

"That might not be so bad," Sasuke admitted, and Iruka smiled.

"So, promise that you'll come back and try them," Iruka called out, and Kakashi thought for a second Iruka was talking directly to him.

Kakashi reflected on it later, but decided it was a trick of his own imagination.

Though, when had his imagination (other than when he was making excuses for being late) become so active?

_______

Within a week or two, word had spread that not only was that bakery selling their full range of ice cream (always a good thing in the hot summer temperatures), but also that the beloved Iruka-sensei was working there, and that he was creating new flavors.

The bakery owners were delighted by the boom in business and asked for a meeting with Iruka's shinobi supervisor to have him be free to work for them on more afternoon and evening shifts.

That supervisor had to check with their supervisor, as well as with Iruka himself, but an agreement was reached by all. To show their appreciation, the bakery kept the missions desk workers staff area stocked with a daily assortment of goodies.

In short, Iruka was even more loved by quite a lot of people that summer.

Team 7 began to visit Iruka a few times a week when they were in the village, to see what he had made recently, as well as to get the extra scoop or topping he would slip into their cups. Everyone knew he had a soft spot for his recent students, and so no one really minded.

Kakashi would accompany them here and there, largely when their nagging him became too much. They would stop nagging him for a few days and he'd get a good cup of coffee (it was more than decent these days), so it wasn't terrible for him.

It was on one such day after training that they ran into Team 8, who reported they were also heading to the bakery.

"Didn't you hear?" Kiba said as they walked. "Iruka-sensei is making flavors of ice cream for our new teams!"

"We know, mutt," Sasuke said, rolling his eyes. "Old news much?"

Kiba smirked. "Yeah, but today he's rolling out ours!"

"What?!" Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke said in unison.

Hinata smiled. "Y-yeah! Iruka-sensei said we'll be the first to try it!"

The genin talked excitedly amongst themselves, Kakashi and Kurenai falling into step with each other behind them.

"The kids are excited," Kakashi commented, and Kurenai laughed.

"I am too, but don't tell anyone. How exciting for our teams to get their own flavors!" she said.

"Maa, I suppose."

"Oh, come on. It's so nice of Iruka to do this for them! Though, we shouldn't be surprised," Kurenai commented. "It's so like him, really."

Before Kakashi could ask what she meant, they had arrived and were waiting in line. 

Soon, they were at the front. Team 7 let Team 8 go ahead of them, in part to be nice, in part to be able to try the new flavor right after them.

"Everyone ready?" Iruka asked, putting his hands on a large unopened tub of ice cream.

The genin nodded excitedly.

"May I present the first genin team ice cream - Ice Cream Number 8!"

The teams squeezed closer to look, including the jonin.

"Lavender flavored ice cream with chocolate bugs, not real obviously, and cookie pieces shaped like dog biscuits!"

Team 8 cheered and Akamaru barked, and Iruka began to dish it out.

"That's so great, Iruka," Kurenai said, raising her voice slightly to be heard. "Just so cool!"

"Thanks!" Iruka said, looking up from scooping. "I'm working on the other teams. And I'm thinking of doing the senseis too."

Kurenai's mouth dropped. "What! That would be even better!" She turned to Kakashi. "Wouldn't it?"

Kakashi noticed Iruka look up from scooping again to glance quickly at him, but that he turned his attention back to the ice cream when Kakashi shrugged.

Kurenai rolled her eyes. "Well," she said to Iruka, accepting a cone of ice cream, "I think it's great. All of us together?"

"Nope," Iruka said, passing out more cones. "Each separately. I've got yours figured out, and I'm working on Asuma's."

"What about Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked.

"I need to figure him out more," Iruka said, raising his eyebrows at Kakashi, whose visible eye widened slightly.

Kurenai laughed and escorted the two teams to the outdoor tables, where they sat eating the new ice cream, along with a dish of plain vanilla for Akamaru, and coffee for Kakashi.

With the kids distracted, Kurenai turned towards Kakashi.

"So, Iruka, huh?"

"What about him?"

"Oh, you know," she said. "What do you think?"

Kakashi sighed. "What do I think about what?"

Kurenai tilted her head as she studied him. "Nothing," she said, shaking her head. "Nothing."

Kakashi narrowed his eye at her, but didn't press her for anything further.

____________

Iruka would invite Kakashi to try different items when he came in with his team, including sugar-free items, low-sugar items, and even tart ones, but he would always politely decline.

He was out with Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai for dinner one night when they decided to get "some of Iruka's ice cream," as Asuma put it.

Walking in, they stood in line with a mix of shinobi and civilians, and talked about what flavors to get.

"Well, I obviously have to get my team's ice cream," Kurenai said, as they got to the front.

Iruka poked his head out from the back. "Wait! I'll get hers," he called out to the younger people working.

The jonin exchanged a look and Kurenai shrugged and stepped out of line, and Asuma and Gai got their ice cream, Kakashi got his coffee, and they grabbed seats at a table out front.

A moment later, Iruka, wearing his full uniform, stopped by and placed a cup of ice cream in front of Kurenai.

"What is it?" she asked. "Though, it looks delicious!"

"Your flavor," Iruka whispered. "I was going to roll it out tomorrow and make sure you came by, but since you're here now, we can do a soft unveiling. So, Sensei Number One, a red velvet."

Kurenai tried it and her eyes widened. "It's so good!" 

Asuma and Gai tried it as well, offering their praise to Iruka.

"Can't wait for mine," Asuma said. "Or, my team's, but mainly mine."

The table laughed, and Gai turned to Kakashi.

"And yours, rival! It will be a masterpiece no doubt!" he said, turning to Iruka, who blushed slightly.

"Hopefully! Though, Kakashi-san has a lot to him, so I'm trying to find the perfect combination..."

"He's free now," Kurenai said. "Why don't you two go off and Iruka can learn more about you?" she asked Kakashi, who shrugged.

"I'm good here," he said, oblivious to Kurenai's glare, Asuma shaking his head, Gai's widened eyes, and Iruka's frown.

"But, rival---" Gai began, but Iruka interrupted him.

"Actually, I just clocked out, and I was at the missions desk this morning before coming here, so I should head home and get some rest. Have a good night, everyone," Iruka mumbled before leaving.

They bid him goodbye and turned back to Kakashi.

"Really?!" they hissed at him.

"What?" he asked, throwing his hands up in frustration. "What did I do now?"

"He really doesn't get it..." Asuma sighed.

____________

Team 7 was away on a mission, and when they finished turning in their report and had had time to go home and shower, Kakashi took them out for dinner, where they ran into Asuma and his team leaving Ichiraku's as they were getting there.

"You missed the biggest event of the summer!" Ino said, swishing her ponytail around.

"What happened?" Naruto groaned.

"Our ice cream was revealed!" Ino shouted, smiling widely. "It's amazing!"

The genin talked about it and Asuma nodded at Kakashi. 

"It's pretty good," he said to the copy nin. "We're heading to try mine now."

"We should go after we eat!" Sakura said to her team, and Sasuke and Naruto agreed.

"I'm surprised you're so obliging of going to the bakery so often, Sasuke," Kakashi said after the other team had departed.

Sasuke shrugged. "It's good ice cream, and I'm waiting for our flavor to be released so I can lord it over everyone else. Plus spending a little bit of time there keeps everyone off my back for spending more time together."

Kakashi laughed as Sakura pouted and Naruto rolled his eyes.

Three bowls of ramen later for Naruto and one bowl later for the others, they headed to the bakery.

"Well, the line hasn't changed," Naruto yawned. "But I guess that's good for the owners!"

As they got almost to the front, Iruka passed by, in his shinobi blues without the vest.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto called, and Iruka turned and smiled when he saw them, walking over to them.

"Hello! You're back from your mission! Safe and sound, I hope?" Iruka asked, a worried look over his face as he looked them over.

"Maa, we're all fine, sensei, no need to worry," Kakashi said, and something stirred in his chest when Iruka was visibly relieved.

"Is it true Ino's team has a flavor?" Sakura asked, and Iruka nodded. 

"Yep! And their sensei's just got unveiled too."

"When's ours," Naruto whined. "And why are we the last of our three teams?"

"He's clearly saving the best for last," Sasuke explained.

Iruka laughed. "Actually, you're a hard team to depict with just the right balance. I'm sure your sensei would agree!" Iruka laughed, looking at Kakashi, who shrugged in agreement.

"What's their flavor?" Sakura asked, as the genin peered into the ice cream freezer display.

"Yellow cake batter ice cream with potato chips and marshmallow fluff. Or rather, clouds," Iruka said. "I'm quite proud of that one."

"I bet the Nara was happy about that," Kakashi commented, and watched in surprise as Iruka's face turned pink.

"Y-yes," Iruka said, "I think so."

"And their sensei's?" Sasuke asked, observing the exchange between the adults, even if the rest of his team hadn't.

"Ah, a light coffee flavored ice cream with bits of smoked bacon," Iruka said.

"Eww!" Sakura and Naruto said, sticking their tongues out.

Iruka laughed. "Admittedly I think it will be more popular with the adults, but Asuma seemed to like it." He turned towards Kakashi again. "Would you like to try some, Kakashi-sensei?"

"I think just coffee tonight, sensei," Kakashi said, and Iruka's smile faltered slightly.

"Well, that's fair. Let me see if I need to brew a fresh pot," Iruka said, bidding them goodbye and heading behind the counter.

They were sat with their items after a few minutes, consuming them and discussing what their flavors would be.

"I wonder what Iruka-sensei will do, to represent each of us," Sakura said as she ate. "I mean, I don't want to envy Ino or anything, but this sure is a good ice cream!"

Naruto nodded. "Yep! Iruka-sensei will probably make ours the biggest, bestest ice cream Konoha's ever seen! Lots of flavors, and ripples, and things to chew on!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Dobe, it would only have three components, as there are three of us and that's what Iruka-sensei has been doing. Though, clearly, your component will be just plain dumb and lacking taste."

Sakura and inner-Sakura both laughed at Sasuke's suggestion, and Naruto scowled.

"What do you think yours will be, sensei?" Sakura sweetly asked Kakashi.

"There's Iruka-sensei!" Naruto said before Kakashi could reply, and waved Iruka over. "What will our flavor be?" the blond asked the teacher.

"Sorry, Naruto," Iruka said with a smile. "No hints."

"What about Kakashi-sensei's?" Sakura asked. "We won't tell, promise!"

Iruka looked at Kakashi. "I'm still working on it. I have more research to do..."

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto shouted. "You should hang out with Iruka-sensei more! Then his research would be easier for him to do."

Iruka ran a hand over the scar on his face. "Naruto, you can't put your sensei on the spot like that. I'm sure he's too busy for something like that..." 

Iruka turned to look at Kakashi. "Unless, perhaps, you'd like to grab a coffee sometime?"

"Maa, getting my coffee from here with my team is good enough for me," Kakashi drawled. "I'm not really too picky with coffee."

"Yes, quite," Iruka said weakly.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the adults.

"Well, I'm off from both jobs, so I think I'll call it a night and finally get some rest at home," Iruka said, waving goodbye at them.

"Ramen tomorrow?!" Naruto shouted at his back, and Iruka gave a thumbs up over his head without turning around.

"I bet Kakashi-sensei's flavor will be plain, boring, and oblivious," Sasuke muttered.

"Hmm?" Kakashi asked. "What was that?"

"I said it would be oblivious," Sasuke said, louder, and Kakashi shrugged at him.

"Oh Sasuke, how would anyone ever turn that into a flavor?" Kakashi laughed.

______

"It's so pretty," Sakura sighed.

"V-very nice," Hinata agreed.

"I guess it's okay," Ino said, before Sakura pushed her. "Fine, fine, it looks almost as good as my team's ice cream."

Just under two weeks had passed since Team 10's ice cream was revealed, and it was finally time for Team 7.

Naturally, they had made sure to bring the other two rookie teams to "the big day," and so nine genin and three jonin were standing in the bakery across the ice cream counter from Iruka.

"What's in it?" Kiba asked.

"A cherry flavored base with dark fudge swirls and candied orange pieces," Iruka announced, and the group was silent for a moment.

"Wow!"

"Cool!"

"Sounds good!"

Soon all of the genin had a large cone or bowl of the new ice cream, Akamura had his vanilla ice cream, Kurenai and Asuma each had a cone of the other jonin's flavor (while stealing bits of the new ice cream from their teams), and Kakashi had his coffee.

"So," Iruka said, stopping by. "What's the verdict?"

"The best ice cream ever!" Naruto shouted.

"It's pretty good," Kiba said, and Shino agreed quietly.

"All the flavors are so good, I'll definitely have to start eating more ice cream!" Choji said, and his peers laughed.

"It's good but I could use a nap now," Shikamaru said, giving Choji his last bit of ice cream.

"Almost as good as our own flavors," Kurenai said with a wink, and Asuma chuckled in agreement.

The genin began to delve into their own discussion topics, and Iruka spent a few more minutes with the other adults.

"Now all that's left is Kakashi," Kurenai said in a singsong.

"How's it coming along?" Asuma asked.

Iruka rubbed the back of his neck. "Still working on it, I want it to be perfect...."

"I'll bet," Asuma snorted.

"You both really like ramen," Kurenai continued. "You should go get a meal at Ichiraku's sometime and talk flavors and add-ins, whatever goes into ice cream," she said, her eyes darting from Iruka to Kakashi and back to Iruka.

The three looked at the copy nin, who shrugged.

"Maa, we both probably go there often enough with Naruto, I'm sure we'll catch a meal there together eventually," Kakashi said.

Iruka slowly nodded. "Well, I have to get back to work, thanks for stopping by, everyone!"

The tables said goodbye to him, and the genin turned back to themselves.

"Kakashi!" Kurenai groaned. "How could you?"

"What did I do?" Kakashi asked, surprised. 

"What you didn't do," Asuma said, shaking his head and continuing to eat his ice cream.

"Don't you know he's flirting with you?" Kurenai hissed in a low voice.

"Who?"

"Iruka!" 

"What?" Kakashi said in a louder voice, drawing the genin's attention briefly before they turned back away. "No he's not."

"Yes he is, and he has been!" Kurenai whispered.

"He doesn't have a super subtle style usually, either," Asuma mused.

"Hasn't he, like, tried to find things in common with you, or paid attention to your preferences?" Kurenai asked.

"Or actually asked you out?" Asuma added.

"Plus there was the time we were here and tried to be your wingpeople and set up a date with the two of you," Kurenai agreed.

Kakashi stared at them with a bored look for a moment before shaking his head. "You're both crazy."

However, their comments stuck with him, nagged him, the entire walk home after his team had eaten more than enough ice cream, and invaded his thoughts while he tried to read Icha Icha that night.

He thought about all of Iruka's actions, and comments, and questions.

Tossing and turning in bed that night, he sighed and ran a hand over his face.

"Sasuke was right," he sighed. "My ice cream flavor is oblivious!"

______

This new realization did nothing for Kakashi as, genius or no, he was not well-schooled in the art of flirting, outside of seduction missions.

Then, obviously, he was great, super smooth, not oblivious.

But in the case of Iruka? He was screwed.

Kakashi spent all his time for the next few days outside of training his team devouring his Icha Icha collection looking for advice, tips, suggestions, and useful lines.

All too soon, Team 7 was dragging him to the bakery for "their ice cream" and he, the great Kakashi Hatake, was quaking in his sandals.

Only on the inside, of course. He had an image to protect!

He waited in line behind his team, his trusty orange book in front of his face while he pretended to read.

In actuality, he was observing Iruka working, and trying to slow down his racing heart.

And when had he begun to sweat? Surely the bakery was just hot today, it wasn't him, it couldn't be him.

Iruka gave the team a large smile as they reached the front.

"Hmm," he said, pretending to think, "I bet you'd like Team 8's ice cream? Or, Team 10?"

"Sensei!" the genin groaned.

Iruka laughed. "Okay, okay. Three cones of Team 7 coming right up!" He glanced at Kakashi. "Or should that be four?"

Kakashi felt himself shaking his head before he could register what he had done, and Iruka gave him a small smile. 

"Of course. Coffee for Kakashi-sensei, coming right up too."

The genin grabbed their cones and raced out as soon as Iruka passed Kakashi his to-go cup.

A look of confusion passed across his face as Kakashi accepted it but continued to stand there.

Fortunately for Kakashi, there was no one else in line, as Team 7 had chosen to take a break from training when there would be light traffic in the bakery.

"Umm," Iruka began, "can I help you with anything else?"

Kakashi shook his head and Iruka grew more confused.

"I..." Kakashi began, pausing. 

"I don't like sweets," he said. "And...everything here is sweet."

Iruka glanced around and nodded, but also frowned. "Yes, well, it is a bakery, though I'm not sure everything is sweet here..."

They looked at each other in silence again.

"And you're here," Kakashi said, finally.

Iruka raised an eyebrow at him.

"Kakashi-sensei!" his genin shouted. "Come on!"

"And....you're sweet," Kakashi continued, stiffly.

Iruka couldn't help but laugh for a moment, until realization dawned on him.

"I see," he said softly, his face falling. "I'm sweet, and you don't like sweets..."

Before Kakashi could respond, his genin stormed in and began to push and pull him out, grumbling about wanting to get back to training and that they were running late.

Kakashi allowed himself to be moved by them, and walked backwards to the door, keeping his gaze on a now sad Iruka.

Iruka sighed and leaned on the counter in front of him, placing his chin on his left arm, propped on the cool counter, just as Kakashi poked his head back into the bakery.

"I don't like sweets, but I do like you!" he called out. "Ramen, tomorrow night?"

Iruka jumped up, surprised by both the man's reappearance and his unusual admission.

"Yes?" Iruka called back, a look of shock on his face.

Kakashi gave him a closed eye smile before his genin claimed him again.

_______

Three weeks later, the bakery debuted a new flavor - Summer Love, a miso flavored ice cream with a sweet caramel ripple and a hint of sea salt.

"It's good," Sakura said as she tried it. "But Iruka-sensei, when will Kakashi-sensei get his flavor?"

"Maa, Sakura," Kakashi said. "Iruka-sensei knows I don't like sweet things, making my own flavor would be a waste."

Iruka nodded in agreement while he scooped Naruto's and Sasuke's cones, and passed Kakashi his coffee as the genin walked away.

"Your own flavor would be a waste," Iruka said quietly. "But our flavor, well, that's different..."

Kakashi winked. "I'll be over to your place at nine," he said softly, taking his coffee and turning to follow his team.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still laughing over Sasuke's comment about Kakashi's flavor of ice cream, and Kakashi agreeing with him (eventually) lol!
> 
> Feedback and suggestions welcomed!
> 
> Let's connect, I'm on [tumblr](https://hkandiu.tumblr.com/)


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